HERBIOUS CORPUS (outside), racing for the first time with Dane Nelson aboard, gets the better of his front-running stable-companion TURBINE (Dick Cardenas) to win the round five Stewards' Cup for maiden two-year-old colts and geldings at Caymanas Park on Wednesday. - Colin Hamilton

TRAINER Richard Azan's MARK MY WORD won the 2010 Triple Crown series with relative ease, beating arch-rival LIFEISJUSFORLIVING in the 2000 Guineas, Jamaica Derby and St Leger to pocket a little over $8.9m for his connections.

However, he made one thing clear at last Tuesday's launch of the Supreme Ventures Jamaica Two-Year-Old Series, "A champion two-year-old is now as important as a champion three-year-old."

"Most people used to buy horses for the classics, now it's for the two-year-old series," Azan noted, after listening to Caymanas Track and Supreme Ventures representatives outline details of the $11.8m purse package, inclusive of a $1m bonus to sweep the series.

Hailed as the only one of its kind in the world, the Supreme Ventures Two-Year-Old Series gets under way this Saturday with the Cash Pot 'Only One For Me' Trophy at 1200 metres, offering a purse of $2.95m.

The distance increases to 1400 metres for the $3.6m Pick-3 Super Challenge Trophy on November 27 and culminates in the oldest trophy race on the local-racing calendar, the $4.25m SVL Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes at a mile.

Azan won the Pick-3 Super Challenge with RAMPAGE in 2005 before going on to land the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes with the rangy speedster.

He joined a select band of trainers that year as he had won the Two-Year-Old Stakes with KAMIR in 2004, putting him among a handful to post back-to-back victories in the top race for two-year-olds.

Azan is eyeing the rich two-year-old series with one of his more promising runners, HERBIOUS CORPUS, who had a correction after being misspelt first time out as 'HEBIOUS CORPUS' on September 22.

Despite the foul-up in the spelling of his name, Azan's runner, bred Traditional Prince-Doc's Paladin, scored a strong debut victory over stablemate TURBINE at the 1000 metres round.

HERBIOUS CORPUS was the lesser-fancied of Azan's runners that afternoon, going off at 7-1 with Dane Nelson aboard after stable rider Dick Cardenas opted for the speedy TURBINE, believing he could have stolen the quick sprint from in front.

HERBIOUS CORPUS shocked all by charging at rivals in the stretch run, starting his run down along the rail before being switched to reel in TURBINE close home, winning by a length in a decent 1:01.0.

As usual, Azan wasn't about to say he believes HERBIOUS CORPUS showed enough to topple experienced runners such as Robert Pearson's TRADITIONAL PRINCE, who has so far won two races from three starts.

"He ran once and that is his only detriment," he said. "There are other horses, like TRADITIONAL PRINCE, who is working and running well and is the horse they have to beat," he added.

However, he wasn't about to rule out his chances and issued a veiled warning to the pre-race favourite.

"These races will be more competitive and, as in any other series, you must have an outstanding horse," he pointed out.

Likely starters for the SVL Two-Year-Old Series

ANNIE OAKLEY - Philip Feanny

ANOTHER TRAIN - Harry Parsard

BLACKMAN STORY - Delroy Waugh

BLENDER - Gordon Lewis

DONTSAYAWORD - Randolph Scott

ELECTRIFYING - Anthony Nunes

FATTY BUM BUM - Wayne DaCosta

GOLDEN IMAGE - Howard Jaghai

HERBIOUS CORPUS - Richard Azan

ISN'T SHE SOMETHING - Philip Feanny

PALACE GOLD - Howard Jaghai

SARAGOSSA - Anthony Nunes

TRADITIONAL PRINCE - Robert Pearson